The Modern Guide to Witchcraft (2 page)

Many witches accept that one or more realms beyond our earth exist and that nonphysical beings share the cosmos with us. Some honor certain gods or goddesses, and we’ll take a look at these in
Chapter 6
. Other witches converse with angels, fairies, and nature spirits. Still others believe that everything on earth—animals, plants, stones—possesses a divine essence or soul. But witches do not need to believe in divine beings in order to perform their work, just as computer programmers, electricians, and dental hygienists don’t have to be members of a particular faith to do their jobs.

The cycle of birth–life–death is obvious to all of us, but for many witches the cycle does not stop there. Instead of life ending when the body dies, they believe an individual’s soul, spirit, or personal energy travels to a realm beyond the physical one and will eventually be reborn in another body in another time and place. Many of them view earth as a “school” and believe we come here as human beings to learn. This cycle continues until the soul has worked through all the lessons it set out to learn. Having completed the cycle, the soul retires to a place of joy and regeneration.

Of course, this idea isn’t unique to witches. Christians, Muslims, and people of many other faiths believe our souls continue on after our bodies die, and Hindus have believed in reincarnation for thousands of years.

Despite their differences and individual ways of practicing their craft, modern witches share some common ground. One of these is a respect for nature. This involves honoring the earth, attuning themselves to her cycles and seasons, and tapping natural forces in magickal workings.

Like shamans, witches see the earth as a living, breathing entity, their home to honor and protect, not a place to conquer and control. Witches regard the earth, its creatures, and everything that exists on our planet as teachers and part of the divine plan. From the witch’s perspective, the planet itself and every living thing in this world has a spirit, a unique energy pattern. As a result, witches tend to think globally, mindful of nature and the cosmos.

Witches celebrate life, and without our beautiful planet life as we know it could not exist. Therefore, witches attempt to establish a dialogue with Mother Nature. Yes, some of them may actually talk to trees, birds, animals, and stones, but more than that they try to observe and listen in order to understand their place in the natural order of things. Witches realize that we are dependent on the earth and therefore it makes sense to engage in practices that enrich both ourselves and the earth. “It’s sacred ground we walk upon with every step we take,” some witches sing. They seek to live in harmony with all of nature and to balance energies that have gone askew in our technology-driven society.

We often refer to our planet as Mother Earth, and indeed she is mother to us all. In a sense, that makes everyone and everything on earth part of a huge, extended family. When you know that you are a part of a greater whole it becomes more difficult to act against that whole. To do so would be counterproductive and would harm your kin, your friends, and yourself. Witches try to move gently, to respect all life, and to honor the sacredness in all things and in each other. If we can do this, we can heal the earth and the earth will heal us.

Green witches, in particular, devote themselves to this path. (You’ll find out more about this in
Chapter 7
.) Some witches may work to protect endangered lands and wildlife, feeling that the loss of these would be a crime against Gaia (one name for the earth’s spirit; in Greek mythology, goddess of the earth). Others donate money or time to ecological causes, and they often send out positive energy through spells and rituals. Later on, you’ll learn more about how to do your part to create greater health, peace, and well-being in your own part of the world and beyond.

If you are serious about being a witch and doing magick, you’ll need to get in touch with the natural world around you—it has much to teach you and many gifts to offer you. Today, most of us are more familiar with computers and smartphones, offices and shopping malls sealed against the weather, than we are with the sight of crops growing in the fields, the sound of streams rippling over rocks, or the scent of moist leaves on the forest floor.

Go for a walk outdoors. Reconnect with the feeling of the wind blowing through your hair. Listen to the birds that live in a tree in your yard. Watch the sunset. Take time to smell the flowers that bloom in the park during the summer. The natural world is just as natural as it ever was, except there’s less of it than there was twenty-five years ago—and most of us don’t make a point of enjoying it often enough.

As you begin to rediscover the natural rhythms around you, you’ll also start to notice how they affect the flow of your inner life. When you become accustomed to doing this, you’ll find that you feel more in sync with everything around you, and with yourself. You may not be able to align your life with the changing seasons the way our ancestors did—nor is it really necessary. However, expanding your awareness of the cycles of the earth and the cosmos will put you in touch with powerful energies beyond your own immediate skills and enable you to do magick more effectively. In later chapters, we’ll talk more about tapping into the magick of the natural world around you. You’ll learn to make potions, conduct rituals, and cast spells for a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life.

Despite the ugly face that religions have tried to put on witches, historically most have been concerned with helping individuals and communities. As we’ve already said, fear and misunderstanding underlie the foolish ideas many people hold about witches. Once you get to know them, witches are pretty much like everyone else; they just see the world a little differently.

Are there “bad” witches who use their knowledge and power for personal gain and ill will? Yes, of course, just as there are “bad” Christians, “bad” Muslims, and so on. Witches are people. If you shake any figurative tree hard enough, a couple rotten apples are likely to fall off. That’s just human nature. The good news is that these rotten apples are the exception, not the rule.

Just like everyone else, witches confront issues that require them to make ethical choices. For instance, should magick be used as a weapon, even if it’s only to fight back? Should you use magick to get what you want, even if that means you put someone else at a disadvantage? And where do you draw the line between white and black magick?

Some witches may not concern themselves with the ethical results of a spell or ritual—what counts is that the spell works. With a spell, you’re attempting to stack the odds in your favor—or in another person’s favor, if the spell is for someone else. You’re attempting to influence something in the future. We all do this constantly, of course, in various ways, but when a witch casts a spell she brings her full conscious and creative awareness to the process.

Wiccans and some other witches believe that magick has a boomerang effect: Whatever you do comes back to you. If you do a spell that hurts someone else, you’ll hurt yourself in the process or attract someone to you who will cause you harm. For that reason, witches often follow a version of the Golden Rule when doing spells: Be kind to others and be kind to yourself.

Magicians recognize that even though the human mind and spirit have unlimited potential, we can’t possibly foresee all the possible outcomes of a spell. Human beings are not omniscient, and sometimes even good intentions lead to terrible results. Just to be on the safe side, you might want to end a spell or ritual with a phrase such as “This is done for the greatest good of all and may it harm none.” In essence, this turns over responsibility for the outcome to higher (and wiser) powers who have a better understanding of how to bring about the best possible outcome.

Every magickal tradition, from the Druids to Wicca to Santería, has its own code—principles that guide the practitioner, boundaries that she won’t cross, a core set of beliefs that permeate everything she does. These core beliefs define an individual’s magickal practice. In Wicca, for instance, the primary principle is to harm nothing and no one.

But people also develop their own personal codes. Have you defined yours? As previously noted, cultural differences play a part in sculpting a particular individual’s beliefs. In the end, however, each of us must refine our own codes as we evolve from children to adults. What’s right for one person might not be okay for another. At the heart of any belief system lies a code by which you live your life, and it may not have any connection to what other people consider good and bad.

Following your own truth will become ever more important as you develop your magickal ability and grow more adept at using your powers. Each witch relies on her inner voice (or conscience, if you will) in determining how she wields magick. There is no cut-and-dried answer to whether anyone is a good or a bad witch.

As a beginner to the wonderful world of witchcraft, you will learn something new every day and experience new sensations and feelings as you explore your newfound path. Some may surprise you, some will challenge you, and lots will fascinate and excite you. One thing you can be sure of now that you’ve started down this road: You’ll never be quite the same again.

Have you ever wondered why some days you seem to breeze through life, but on other days nothing goes right? Why it is that when things start sliding downhill, they seem to go from bad to worse? How can you keep the good times rolling and prevent the bad ones from getting a foothold? Is there a way to turn your luck around?

Absolutely! That’s what magick spells are for—to give you power over your destiny. Rather than being a victim of circumstances beyond your control, with magick you control the circumstances. Once you start viewing the world from a magickal perspective, you’ll be able to see beyond everyday frustrations, disappointments, and aggravations. You’ll maneuver around the obstacles that pop up in your path. It’s similar to what athletes call being “in the zone.”

Considering all the curves life throws us, it only makes sense to use whatever tools are available to give yourself an advantage. Magick spells are just that: tools to help you avoid pitfalls and attract blessings. For thousands of years people have been doing magick. You can, too, and once you start doing spells, you’ll never want to stop!

Perhaps you’re skeptical. You may be wondering, what’s this magick stuff all about anyway? More important, can it really help me? The answer is
yes.
If you didn’t believe in magick (at least a little bit), you wouldn’t be reading this book.

You may not realize it yet, but you’re already a magician. You’ve already done lots of magick spells without even knowing it. Now you’re going to learn how to perform magick purposefully, to turn your luck around. Once you discover the secret, you’ll be able to chart your own destiny, avoiding the pitfalls and setbacks that seemed inevitable before.

Every culture, stretching back long before the advent of written history, has had its magicians: medicine men, cunning folk, kahunas, Druids, witches, and shamans. By choosing a magickal path, you are following in the footsteps of ancient seers and healers who knew how to shape the forces of the universe with their intentions.

Simply put, magick is the act of consciously creating circumstances using methods that defy scientific logic. The notorious British magician Aleister Crowley said, “Every intentional act is a Magickal Act.” Whenever you form an objective in your mind, then fuel it with willpower, you’re doing magick.